Rowlock for rowing and sculling boats



Aug. 12, 1941. 1.... H. cRoss 2,252,252

ROWLOCK FOR ROWING AND SCULLING BOATS Filed 001:. 29, 1940 Patented Aug.12, 1941 ROWLOCK FOR ROWING AND SCULLING BOATS Louis Hepburn Cross,Rochester, England Application October 29, 1940, Serial No. 363,349

In Great Britain June 16, 1939 4 Claims.

This invention relates to rowlocks for rowing and sculling boats of thekind embodying an oarengaging element which is capable of assuming aposition for use in which it upstands from the gunwale and analternative out-of-use position in which said element is lowered andprojects into the boat.

Objects of the invention are to so form the oar-engaging element thatwhen lowered to its out-of-use position it carries the oar with it andthen retains it in a position stowed inboard, and to obviate thepossibility of the oar-engaging element becoming accidentally detachedin either of its positions or during its movement. A further object isto ensure that when the rowlock is in use there will be no risk of samejumping out of position, nor risk of the car jumping out of the rowlock.In an embodiment of the invention providing the combination of an oarand a rowlock having the above characteristics, an object of theinvention is to provide means incorporated with the car for constrainingsame against outward sliding movement when in use, thereby ensuringabsolute retention of the car.

According to the invention there is provided a rowlock for rowing orsculling boats, comprising a base member fitted or adapted to be fittedto the gunwale of a boat and a pivotal oar-engaging element which isadapted to so embrace the stem of the car as to imprison same, theoar-engaging element being slidably displaceable from its normalposition across the base member and towards the inner side of thegunwale and being adapted when thus displaced to be lowered for thepurpose of stowing the oar inboard, the engagement of the oar-engagementelement with the base member being such as to prevent lifting of thesaid element when in normal position.

Conveniently in carrying out the invention the base member is arrangedto lie over the top of the gunwale and a guide means is provided on saidbase member, which extends transversely thereof, the oar-engagingelement being engaged with and free to move along said guide means. Aside plate is provided which is adapted to lie against the inside faceof the gunwale and which is preferably separate from the base member,said side plate being formed to provide a downward extension of theguide means provided on the base member. The movement permitted by thesaid guide means in the base member and side plate enables theoar-engaging element to take up either of the positions aforesaid. Theconstruction of the base member is such that when the oar-engagingelement projects into the boat with consequent stowing of the oarinboard, the said oar-engaging element is held fast by the base member,but if the side plate is removable then detachment thereof will permitthe said oar-engaging element (along with the oar) to be then disengagedfrom the base member.

A rowlock of preferred form in accordance with the invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is aperspective view of the rowlock shown fitted to the gunwale of a boatand looking from the interior of the boat, the oar-engaging elementbeing shown in position for use, and

Figure 2 is a similar view looking from the outside of the boat andshowing the position taken up by the oar-engaging element when the oaris stowed inboard.

Referring to the drawing, the rowlock comprises a metal base plate ofright angular shape in cross section which is fitted to the gunwale 3 ofa boat in such a manner that the cheek 4 of the plate lies over the topof the gunwale whilst the depending cheek 4a lies against the outer faceof said gunwale.

In the upper cheek 4 of the base plate is formed a transverse slot 6which continues down into a separate outer side plate 5, and at each endsaid slot merges into circular openings 1 and 8. A circular-sectiontransverse groove 9 is cut in the top of the gunwale before fitting thebase plate in position, and if desired, the base plate maybe furnishedbehind the slot 6 with a tube adapted to form a line to said groove.

The oar-engaging element comprises an eye I0 adapted to encircle thestem of an oar or alternatively a cradle adapted to embrace the oar stemto such an extent as to imprison same whilst permitting necessaryangular movement thereof. At the bottom of said eye is a flange I Iwhich is formed with a convex underface, and below said flange is ashank portion l2 which terminates in a spherical foot l3. The shankportion 12 is a sliding fit in the slot 6 and the spherical foot I3 is afree fit in the groove 9.

When the oar-engaging element is in position for use (Figure 1) it isdisposed at the extremity of that portion of the slot 6 contained incheek 4. The convex underface of flange ll then seats in the opening Iand this ensures that the carengaging element maintains the requiredposition and that an ample bearing surface is provided for said elementduring its angular movements when rowing, since the effect of a ball andsocket joint is obtained.

When it is required for the oar to be shipped inboard, said oar is swunground to take up a position parallel to the gunwale of the boat, theoar-engaging element is slightly raised to dislodge the flange II fromthe opening 1, and said oar-engaging element is slid along the slot 6towards the remote end thereof. When such remote end is reached, thesaid oar-engaging element will swing down by gravity to the positionshown in Figure 2, the oar being then stowed alongside the gunwale 3.During such downward swinging movement the shank l2 of the oar-engagingelement passes down into the portion of the slot 6 contained in the sideplate 5. The weight of the oar now maintains the foot 13 seated in theopening 8 of the slot.

The replacement of the oar-engaging member to position for use (alongwith the oar) can be performed with equal ease by simply lifting theoar, swinging the oar-engaging member upwardly and then sliding samealong the slot to the remote end thereof.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention.For instance, the guide means in the base member may take the form ofopposed grooves or any other equivalent for the slot 6.

Preferably the oar employed in conjunction with the rowlock has astrengthening and protecting sleeve [4 on its stem, and said sleeve mayhave a projection for correctly locating the oar in the rowlock byabutment with the eye ill thereof. By reason of the said projection I5abutting the eye Hi the car is prevented from slipping out of therowlock in outward direction. Thus when bringing a boat alongside alanding stage or mooring buoy the car can be released at any momentwithout risk of same drifting away with the current, the projection l5forming a positive stop to prevent this. The provision to enable theoars to be shipped inboard whilst still held fast to the rowlock,obviates possible loss of the oars should the boat be adrift, since theoars, when shipped, cannot possibly become washed out.

If the construction of the parts is such as to position the fulcrum ofthe oar engaging element, i. e. shank l2 of eye Ill near the extremeoutside of the gunwale as shown, this being preferred, appreciablygreater leverage is obtained than when the'said fulcrum is in the usualposition central in the width of the gunwale.

I claim:

1. A rowlock for rowing boats comprising a base member adapted to befitted to the gunwale of a boat to lie over the top of the gunwale, aguide means on said base member which extends transversely thereof, aside plate adapted to lie against the inside face of the gunwale andwhich is formed to provide a downward extension of the guide meansprovided on the base member, and an oar-engaging element adapted to soembrace the oar as to imprison same and which is engaged with and freeto move along said guide means so as to be retained against accidentaldetachment and to be capable of assuming a position for use in which itupstands from the gunwale and an out-of-use position in which it causesthe oar to become stowed inboard.

2. A rowlock for rowing boats comprising a base plate adapted to befitted to the gunwale of a boat to lie over the top of said gunwale, aside plate adapted to lie against the inside face of the gunwale, atransverse slot formed in said base plate and extending from a pointintermediate in the width thereof to and through the inner edge of saidbase plate, a gap formed in the upper part of the side plate and adaptedto constitute an extension of the slot in the base plate, anoar-engaging element adapted to so embrace an oar as to imprison same, ashank to said oar-engaging element which is adapted to travel along theslot of the base plate and into the gap of the side plate, and a foot tosaid shank having a diameter greater than the width of the slot in thebase plate .and the gap in the side plate, the oar-engaging elementbeing capable of movement along the slot to assume a position for use inwhich it upstands from the gunwale and an out-of-use position in whichit projects from the side plate and stows the oar inboard.

3. A rowlock according to claim 2, wherein the said foot of theoar-engaging element is of spherical form.

4. A rowlock according to claim 2, wherein the oar-engaging element hasa flange with a convex underface, andthe slot in the base platetermimates in a circular opening, the diameter of which exceeds thewidth of the slot but is less than the diameter of the foot of theoar-engaging element, said opening constituting a seating for the convexflange of the oar-engaging element when the latter is in its upstandingposition for use.

LOUIS HEPBURN CROSS.

